Limitless Wrestling at the Portland Expo live report 9/6/2019

Friday night September 6, 2019 Limitless Wrestling presented their 4th Anniversary show Know Your Enemy emanating from the historic Portland Expo!  I was so excited to have front row for this show because this is one of the most historic buildings for wrestling in Maine.

Built in 1914 it is the second oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States.  On March 5, 1929 World Heavyweight Champion Gus Sonnenberg defeated Ned McGuire in two straight falls.  On April 2, 1945 Leo Numa defeated Manuel Cortez by disqualification when referee Babe Ruth called for the bell.

The first time I can find that the WWWF ran at the Expo was July 19, 1966 with King Curtis Iaukea defeating Johnny Valentine in the main event.  In his book Bob Backlund talks about wrestling then WWF Champion "Superstar" Billy Graham to a blood double count-out on December 6, 1977.   For over 11 years the WWWF/WWF ran month shows at the venue.  In 1978 the WWF would move to the newly opened and larger Cumberland County Civic Center, now Cross Insurance Arena.  My dad went to the matches here regularly and saw the legends like Graham, Backlund, Putksi, Andre the Giant and others.

I myself have only attended one wrestling show at the Expo, which was the last wrestling show the venue hosted.  March 16, 2003 Maine Event Wrestling featuring Robbie Ellis, X-Pac, Brian Christopher, Raven, Mike Quackenbush vs. Reckless Youth in a 2 out of 3 falls masterpiece and The Fabulous Moolah and The Great Mae Young in tag team action against Don Montoya & Towel Boy Adams.  I sat in the bleachers on this night.

Alex and my son Canaan headed down to the expo together.  I was shocked at the length of the line when I got to the door.  They had to broken down to VIP, Front Row & Floor GA, and bleacher GA.  I loved the set up and the Limitless Wrestling ring skirt, it just look so good.  I also liked that there was plenty of room for the wrestlers merchandise tables away from the seating.

I picked up a few packs of the Limitless Wrestling trading cards and in total managed to get five cards signed.  I'll post about them another day.  I didn't take many pictures of the show because I just wanted to watch the wrestling.  Not to mention I knew the pictures weren't going to come out well because of the lighting and that I don't bring my camera with me.  These photos are courtesy of @wrestlechick207 on the twitter.

Ace Romero pinned Dan Maff

This was a hell of a fight and what a great way to open the show.  It got the crowd to their feet for the entire contest and these guys beat the hell out of each other.  Maff got Romero in a torture rack position and gave him a burning hammer right on the top of Ace's head!  It was sick, in a good way!  Ace the pin after a monster clothesline.  I hope we see Maff back in a Limitless Wrestling sooner than later.

Christian Casanova pinned Leyla Hirsch

AR Fox was supposed to be Casanova's opponent but he simply no showed.  Hirsch was supposed to be in the scramble match but I was glad to see her in this match instead.  It was a great match, I felt that Hirsch held control for the majority of it but she fell victim to Casanova's scissors kick.

The New Hart Foundation: Teddy Hart & Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated The Work Horsemen: James Drake & Anthony Henry

This match lived up the the hype that I had built in my mind.  First off I love Hart's and Smith's entrance theme, it's just a great tune.  This match was basically a tornado match with action in the ring and a lot on the floor.  We were treated to several amazing moonsaults by Teddy.  I don't how he and 2 Cold Scorpio manage to just float through the air like they do.  It's amazing!

The Foundation managed to isolate Henry in the ring and Smith got the pin winning the match for his team.  After the match Hart cut one of his standard promo's with Smith chiming in that Limitless was a great audience.

Drake and Henry squabbled after the match with Drake being upset with Henry over the loss.  Henry slapped Drake before leaving the ringside area.

Kevin Blackwood pinned JT Dunn

I was excited about this match.  It seemed fitting that they face off after Blackwood eliminated Dunn from the vacation cup last month.  This was good match with Blackwood getting the quick roll up pin on Dunn which popped the crowd.  Dunn was quite hated by the fans tonight.

Maine State Street Fight: Maine State Posse: Aiden Aggro & Danger Kid defeated Alexander Lee & Brandon Kirk with Joey Eastman

Holy shit!  This one needed to be seen to believed.  They used trash cans, thumbtacks, a door, a barbed wire wrapped door, a lobster pot, and more.  It was brutal with action both inside and outside the ring.  Kirk has his tongue stapled to the top turnbuckle, nasty.  Also Lee handcuffed Danger Kid's earlobe to the bottom rope, Kid has big gauges that he removes before the match, nastier! Kirk was busted open early in the contest and then later when he took the lobster pot to the head it really tore him open bad.

This essentially eliminated Kirk from the match leaving Lee to be double teamed by MSP.  They handcuffed Lee and powerbombed him on the barbed wire door.  They then crushed him on the lobster pot for the three count.  MSP may have won this match but I feel the war is far from over.

The Butcher & The Blade defeated "Filthy" Tom Lawlor & "Dirty Daddy" Chris Dickinson

This was the first match back from intermission and sadly I think the crowd was still spent from the Street fight.  That or maybe these teams just didn't mesh tonight.  I felt like things were a bit off.  For me though the coolest moment in the match is when Lawlor gave The Butcher an airplane spin!  It was a good one too.

Finish saw Butcher pin Lawlor

DL Hurt defeated Jody Threat, Jon Silver, Harlow O'Hara, & Puf

This was a great match!  As will all scrambles we got action both in and outside the ring.  Jody Threat even skateboarded in some offense.  She dished out a head scissors and a spear before eating a superkick.  Hurst picked up the win with a dominator type move on Threat.

Hair vs. Career: Kris Statlander & Ashley Vox defeated Jeremy Leary & Skylar

In this match it was Stat's career and Leary's hair on the line.  If you would have told me that Leary was going to lose this match and have his head shaved I would have lost that bet.  The match was great with Leary being a giant asshole the whole contest.  After Statlander pinned him with her finisher the crowd erupted!  They started cutting his hair in the ring and then at ringside Bradford finished the job.  It was an awesome moment.

Retro AG defeated Limitless Wrestling World Champion: MJF

This was a very anticipated match and the perfect finish to the Limitless Wrestling four year anniversary event.  About two minutes into the match MJF hit Greene with a deliberate low blow for which the referee called for the bell.

Randy Carver, Limitless owner, restarted the match making it no DQ.  The match quickly went to the floor and around ringside.  This match was not as crazy as the street fight but they didn't their fair share of damage to each other.

Finish came right in the center of the ring after a step up tomikaze by Greene on MJF.  Biggest pop of the night the referee hit the three count.  Every person in the building was on their feet!  We all wanted this bad for AG.

Post match MJF shook AG's hand and quickly raised his arm before exiting to the back.  I'm not sure who the next opponent for AG is going to be.  I'd like to see him square off with someone I haven't seen him wrestle in Limitless yet like Kevin Blackwood.

Limitless returns to the Portland Club on October 25th with Gangrel, tickets are on sale September 16th at the website.

Also Let's Wrestle returns on October 12th in Orono, tickets are also on sale right now for that show.  Front row is $12 and General Admission is $10.  I'll be there with my kids.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until Next Time!

Signed Trading Cards: Davey Boy Smith Jr., Ethan Page, Skylar, & More

This week we take a look at the cards that I got signed at Limitless Wrestling: Hooked on a Friedman May 10, 2017.  I had a Shazza Mackenzie card as well that I was hoping to get signed but she never came out and sold merchandise.  She walked through floor a couple times before the show but I figured she be out at intermission, she wasn't.

In total I added 16 new signed cards to the my collection.  I'm currently working on reorganizing the way I store my cards and the order that I store them in.  If you collect cards please tell me how your store and organize your cards.

"British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Bulldog was super nice to chat with, we talked about how in Japan he sometimes where the jeans with boots and the next night more typical wrestling gear.  He said the jeans was in the same style that his dad wrestled in, in his last WWF run but they are not at all comfortable to wrestle in.

The first card is a 2008 Topps Slam Attax card game, the second featuring Christian getting the ole high vertical suplex is from the 2010 Topps WWE set, above that is from the same set and features the Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Hart Dynasty.  I'd love to get Tyson Kidd & Natalya to sign it as well.  Finally we have the 2015 King of Pro Wrestling card from Japan.

Ethan Page

It was nice seeing Page back in Limitless at this show.  These are both independent cards, the first being from the the 2018 Limitless Wrestling set and the second as part of the 2019 Joey Ryan Spring Break 3 part Two set.

Mance Warner

This is the only card that I bought at the show, all the others I already owned.  This card is from the 2019 Highspots card set that they send out in their monthly subscription box.  I paid $5 for the card.

JT Dunn

I finally was able to get the three cards signed by Dunn!  For the last several shows he hasn't come out to sell merch.  All three are from Limitless Wrestling, the first from the 2018 regular set and the second two from the 2018 Moments sub set.  The middle card features Dunn's match with Cody Rhodes at Unreal on January 27, 2018 and the second is after winning the 2018 Vacationland Cup.

I have on other card signed by Dunn that you can see here.

Skylar

This card is from the 2018 Limitless Wrestling set.  This was Skylar's first Limitless show that I have seen her at since November 2017. 

Ace Romero

Both cards are from Limitless Wrestling, the first from the 2018 set and the second from the 2018 Moments subset.  This card is from  Hook, Line, & Sinker July 23, 2016.

Allie Kat

Kat was turned the card over to correct her hometown to Texas and I thought that that was all she was going to do when she signed the back.  I wasn't about to ask her to sign the front. The first card is from the 2018 Limitless Wrestling set and the second as part of the 2019 Joey Ryan Spring Break 3 part Two set.

Lisa Marie Varon

Also known as Victoria and Tara.  This card is from the Tristar 2010 TNA New Era set.  She was going by Tara in TNA and I asked her to sign the card as Tara, but I guess she didn't hear me.  Lisa Marie was very nice and courteous and is on her retirement tour after 19 years in the ring.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until next time! 

Limitless Wrestling: Hooked on a Friedman Live Report

May 10, 2019 Limitless Wrestling returned to the Westbrook Armory with Hooked on a Friedman,

My wife and youngest son have been gone for the week with her mother to visit family in Maryland, I started and ended my time alone going to wrestling.  Not a bad way to spend the week.

I've said this before and I'll keep saying it again and again but I love the wrestling community that I am apart of.  One that continues to grow thanks to the combination of outstanding wrestling that Limitless brings to Maine along with social media connections. 

I drove to the show tonight by myself, but I did not attend the show alone, not by a long shot.  Phil was there, I sat two people away from Phil at my first indy show in 1997 and basically have seen him at wrestling ever since.  It's been at least five years that I've hung out with Mikey, Roy, Josh & Jesse on and off at various shows even out of State.  Before he was the Barber, Bradford and I bonded over Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Chris Hero during a blizzard in Orono in January 2016.

I have internet wrestling friends that I've met because of this blog or Twitter like Brandon, Michael, Armand, TonyO and others.  I've got a subgroup of wrestling friends that collect trading cards.

In the last couples years going to Limitless I see so many people that I recognize at the shows, some I know their names like Cory, Jess, and Wendy.  While others just their twitter handle like Local Aquaman Expert and LWMaine Sign Guy, and many more that I have seen at the shows and sadly don't recall or even know their names but we wave a smile because it's a familiar face.  At the end of the day though we come together for a common cause that is the love of professional wrestling.

The show started twenty minutes late because of bad traffic crashes south of the venue that delayed wrestlers and fans.  But the doors opened on time and Victoria was and Davey Boy Smith Jr. were both there ready to meet fans.

Also the local NBC affiliate WSCH 6 was on hand including reporter Rob Caldwell doing a story on Limitless.  I'm curious when that is going to make air. 

I managed to grab quite a few decent photos so I have more on here than normal. 

Let's get to the matches;

Vacationland Cup Qualifying Fatal Four Way

Ace Romero defeated Jon Silver, Mance Warner, & "Dirty Daddy" Chris Dickinson

Mance brought a trash can to the ring with him.  My first time seeing him live and anyone that uses Simple Man in his entrance music is awesome.  Right at the bell Mance crushed Ace in the head the trash can taking him out for a spell.  Dickinson and Silver got the can on Mance's head and took turns kicking it wrecking the can and Mance in the process.

Lot of action in and out of the ring in this match.  Mance brought a table in the ring and while he and Dickinson tussled Ace speared the both into it.  Ace then caught Silver coming off the top rope for a sitout powerbomb and the pin.

Brad Hollister pinned Christian Casanova

This match had a slower pace than the first.  Hollister was throwing Casanova all around with high impact moves.  Casanova battled back with some good aerial offense but wasn't getting the job done so he went for his chain.  Kevin Blackwood made his return with the distraction allowing Hollister to finish Casanova continuing his losing streak.

Post match Blackwood cut a promo about being back after his vehicle accident this past winter.  He announced that it would be him vs. Casanova at the Vactionland Cup on July 12th.

It was great seeing Blackwood back, he got a decent pop for the surprise return.  I'm looking forward to seeing him back in the ring.  I hope Daniel Garcia isn't too far behind him. 

Kris Statlander pinned "Buzzkill" Pat Buck

Buck opened the match with a promo about being Stat's trainer and that she was like a daughter to him and that she should lay down for him.  Stat did, but reversed it into a small package for a two count to kick start the match.

This was a fun match, the fans are solidly behind Statlander, which is very surprising considering the war she has with Ashley Vox late last year / early this year and she was solidly the heel in that.  We saw some excellent wrestling in this, lots of wristlocks and reversals.  Stat cartwheeled out of a wristlock  and continued cartwheeling around the ring and got caught with a sick spear.
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Stat reversed a tombstone piledriver into her finisher for the pin.  Really good match

Vacationland Cup Qualifying Fatal Four Way

JT Dunn defeated "The Rogue" Brandon Kirk, "All Ego" Ethan Page, and Adam Brooks

The match went to the floor fast and Adam Brooks took them all out.  Very fast paced and high impact match and at one point just looked like a flurry!  At one point all four competitors were down giving the fans a much needed moment to take it all in.

Kirk bought out his staple gun attempted to get Page, but was foiled by Brooks.  Eventually the staple gun came back into play with Kirk taking a staple to the back and on his tongue before eating a Death by Elbow from Dunn for the pin while Page and Brooks fought to get back into the ring.

Skylar with Jeremy Leary pinned Victoria

She's going by Lisa Maria Varon now but we all know her as Victoria.  Leary jumped Victoria before the bell and he and Skylar laid the boots in on Victoria before the ref cleared Leary from the ring.

Victoria applied a Muta Lock early in the contest and the tarantula later in the match.  Skylar applied her own version of a Muta Lock.  Victoria went for a widow's peak but Leary ran in pulling Skylar down and eating a kick from Victoria for his effort.  While the ref was getting Leary out of the ring Skylar his Victoria with the dreaded "brass knucks" for the win.

Post match Skylar offered her hand to Victoria who took it then hit the widow's peak to send us home happy.  Victoria said some words about supporting independent wrestling.  This is her retirement tour after 19 years in wrestling.

Intermission: got a photo with Mance Warner and we chatted a bit, super nice guy.

DL Hurst & Bret Domino defeated Thick Boys: Jay Freddie and Puf

Apparently Puf is officially a Thick Boy now.  Freddie took most of the offense in this match for his team.  Hurst and Domino looked good in the ring, they had some cool tandem offense like all good tag teams should have.

At one point Freddie was down, Puf took out Hurst and Domino.  He grabbed a beer to bring Freddie back into the things.  This lead to Jon Silver coming out and some scuffling between the teammates.  This was enough for Hurst to get the pin on Freddie.

Post match Freddie tried to fix things between Puf and Silver.  This lead to announcing they would settle their differences in a Denim Vest on a Pole match at the Vactionland Cup with Freddie being the special referee.

Allie Kat pinned "Heartcore" Shazza Mckenzie

I'm a big fan of Allie Kat, glad to see her back as I haven't seen her in over a year.  I think she is great and that being said I didn't think the same of this match.  It had some really good moments and a strong finish but the beginning looked like Shazza was moving in slow motion.  Her movements were very telegraphed and deliberate the fans around me thought the same thing.

Shazza delivered a series of wicked kicks to Allie when she was in the ropes.  Shazza also locked in a rear naked chocked a few times but Allie managed to comeback and hit the pussy piledriver for the pin.

New Hart Foundation: Davey Boy Smith Jr & Teddy Hart defeated Maine State Posse: Aidan Aggro & Danger Kid

This was tremendous!  Smith and Hart dominated the match with their high impact offense but Aggro and Danger Kid hung with them the whole time.  We say Davey Boy deliver the shoulder powerslam both running from the corner and off the second rope.

Smith pressed DangerKid and Teddy jumped off the top rope grabbing on the way down for a DDT, it was nuts!  Kid even took the Doomsday Canadian Destroyer with Smith pinning Kid for the win.

I honestly can't do this match justice because it was so good and unique.  Fans were hot through the whole match.  Post match both Smith and Hart cut promo's thanking the fans, putting over Limitless Wrestling and wrestling as a whole in general.

Limitless Wrestling World Champion: Maxwell Jacob Friedman with JT Dunn pinned Ashley Vox

Normally I won't call indy titles a World Championship but MJF has defended the title in both England and Canada, so it qualifies.  Dunn came out with MJF but a few minutes into the match was ejected from ringside.

MJF opened with a scathing promo about putting down Vox and women in general generating a lot of hate and discontent from the crowd.  Mikey mentioned he's surprised that no one has attacked him yet, I'd have to agree with Mikey.  MJF gets that old school white hot heat.

Ashley would take a tremendous beating repeatedly in this match but each time she would battle back with some high impact offense much to the delight of the crowd.  I was excited to see MJF bust out both a bear hug and torture rack style back breaker in the match.

Late in the match while on the floor MJF pressed Ashley over his head and just threw her into the crowd on both sides of the ring.  Probably would have been nice if they would have tried to catch her.  This was a fantastic visual!

A few moments later while MJF was on the floor Ashley dove at him three times sending MJF crashing back into Mikey and I.  The third time he threw himself back trying to launch himself into the fans, but hit the rock wall that was Mikey and I and didn't succeed.

As a front row fan I know that at times wrestlers and going to crash and land on us, I've accepted it.  I'm not one to dive out of the way every time they come near us though unless the wrestlers yell at us to move.  If either one of them would have said move, we would have.

Back in the ring the ref was knocked down and MJF got the title belt, Vox said that she would kiss his boot as he demanded at the beginning of the match, but she hit him in the junk instead.  Then hit him with the belt and locked on her finish, MJF tapped out but the ref didn't see it.

Eventually the ref came around again and Vox locked her fish hook back on, MJF then violently bit down hard on her finger covering her hand and his mouth with blood.  It was vicious!  He then drove her into the mat with Cross Rhodes for the pin.

Post match the fans threw trash into the ring which MJF encouraged.  He cut a promo saying we were trash and that JT Dunn was going to win the Vacactionland Cup and forfeit his title match.  Dunn hit MJF with Death by Elbow and cut a promo saying he was going to take the title from MJF.

I want to address the trash throwing bit, it was cool looking visual and it showed that MJF has some real heat with the crowd.  But goddammit don't throw full bottles of water and half empty cans of beer.  A bottle exploded on the floor in front of Mikey and I, luckily it wasn't glass.

It was an awesome show all in all which doesn't surprise me in the slightest.  Limitless returns with the Vacationland Cup July 12th at the Portland Club.  Along with was was already announced The Butcher & The Blade, Eli Everfly, & Hornswoggle are returning.  Tickets on sale May 20th. 

  

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until next time!